Athens — A third firefighter has died while battling wildfires in Greece, according to media reports citing the fire service.

The firefighter was found unconscious near a blaze at Ageranos in the southern Peloponnese and was pronounced dead in hospital on Wednesday. The exact cause of death was not immediately known.

Two firefighters had previously died while fighting a fire on the island of Crete. The pair reportedly became disorientated in dense smoke before their vehicle was surrounded by flames.

A large wildfire in southern Crete remained out of control, with hundreds of firefighters battling flames that have spread south of Rethymno since Wednesday, according to civil protection authorities.

Large areas of farmland and olive groves have been damaged or destroyed, along with some homes and farm buildings.

Several villages were evacuated as a precaution. Many tourists were taken out of the area by boat from around the popular resort of Agia Galini on Crete's southern coast.

Around 8,000 people had been brought to safety from communities in the area, Crete's Deputy Governor Maria Lioni told Greek television.

Strong and shifting winds were severely hampering firefighting efforts. Water-bombing aircraft and helicopters could be used only to a limited extent and at times not at all, emergency services said.

Firefighters were therefore focusing mainly on protecting homes and other infrastructure.

More than 200 firefighters, dozens of vehicles, volunteers, municipal emergency workers and police were deployed, with further reinforcements on the way.

A separate fire in the Sitia region of eastern Crete was now largely under control, authorities said. However, stronger winds were forecast, and emergency crews remained on alert.

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